ESPN EXAMINES BASEBALL'S MARKETING CHALLENGE

ESPN's Cover Story was on "Marketing the Major Leagues," and
the challenges MLB teams face with their marketing campaigns
during the strike. In their ads for this season, many teams have
focused on the game of baseball and the experience of going to
the ballpark. AD AGE's Jeff Jensen: "Baseball teams can't market
themselves using their players, that is their product and it is
not on the field." ESPN's Linda Cohn noted that the absence of
players "has put creativity at a premium." Brandon Steiner of
Steiner Sports Marketing said this may be the first year teams
have to go to top-notch ad agencies and marketing firms to get
help in bringing back their fans. The Dodgers campaign focusses
around the theme "The Tradition Continues" and Dodgers
VP/Marketing Barry Stockhammer said since they don't know who the
players will be they are "promoting the team unit, the outing.
Basically, the experience of coming out to Dodgers Stadium"
("Sports Center," ESPN, 2/23).